Food History: BOLINHOS DE BACALHAU

Its origin can be traced back hundreds of years aboard Portuguese ships; sailors and navigators would catch large quantities of the fish and preserve the meat by curing it with salt.

As many Portuguese will tell you, there are over a thousand ways to cook Bacalhau in Portuguese cuisine; some of which are boiling, stewing, roasting, frying and even combined into fried rice; however one dish stands out – Bolinho de Bacalhau.

Literally meaning balls of salted codfish, Bolinhos de Bacalhau are a delicious dish often enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. Made by combining boiled Bacalhau meat and mashed potato, the mixture is deep fried until golden brown.